meet our staff

Elise Linke - Building Consultant Meeting people from different walks of life and helping them build their own home is what drives Hickinbotham Building Consultant, Elise Linke. “I really enjoy it when they (clients) come back to see me and tell me how happy and excited they are,” she says. Elise started her building industry career at Hickinbotham 2.5 years ago, starting out in the administration department. Eager to progress to a sales role, Elise learnt as much as she could about the industry and completed her real estate sales certificate, landing a Building Consultant role after only 15 months." Since then she hasn’t looked back, increasing her earning potential substantially and helping many South Australians achieve their dream of building a home. “The most enjoyable part of my job is meeting people and assisting them build their own home, making sure they get the most suitable home for their needs at an affordable price,” she says. “Another huge highlight was when one of my clients came in with a beautiful bunch of flowers to thank me for the assistance and advice I had provided her with.” Despite being a Building Consultant for only 15 months Elise has already purchased an investment property, a new car and enjoyed a couple of holiday’s interstate. But that’s not to say it’s been an easy slog. “The role is demanding at times and the busy periods tend to come in waves,” she says. “You need to be prepared to work weekends and there is considerable after hours work preparing contacts, talking to clients and following up phone calls. “However, I enjoy the freedom that comes with working my own hours – though I put in approximately 50 hours a week, I am pretty much my own boss. It’s a bit like having your own business in that you get as much out of the position as you put in.” According to Elise, selling a great product makes her job much easier. “Hickinbotham is a great family company and an extremely reputable builder with a great name in the industry – they are definitely number one for price and quality,” she says. “It gives me a great deal of confidence to be selling a quality product and I know the back-up and support will always be there.” Elise suggests good people skills, a knowledge of the building industry, being prepared to work long hours and belief in the product you are selling, are crucial to success as a Building Consultant.
Emily Perriam - Senior Marketing Coordinator In her role as Senior Marketing Co-ordinator, Emily oversees the day-to-day marketing communications for the Hickinbotham Group, incorporating the Statesman, Hickinbotham and Charterhouse brands. Emily applied for the position at Hickinbotham wanting a change in direction and bigger challenge. She found the friendly atmosphere at Hickinbotham offered a great working environment. “The building industry is an industry that I had not had previous exposure to, and now I’m here, it’s a fantastic industry to be involved with as you are creating communities and new estates as well as helping people achieve their dream of home ownership – it’s a great feeling”. Another attraction Emily mentioned is that Hickinbotham is a family-owned business, where the culture is completely different to a corporate shareholder owned company. “The biggest difference,” says Emily, is that “management know your name, your role in the organisation, and are interested in how you’re going – that doesn’t happen everywhere!” The move to Hickinbotham has already paid off, with Emily recently being promoted to the position of Senior Marketing Co-ordinator. She is responsible for all marketing activities, from preparing advertising and marketing materials such as press ads, brochures, flyers and posters to assisting in opening new display homes and sales, community initiatives such as Foundations for the Future, and maintaining the organisation’s website – among other things. In her 18 months at Hickinbotham, the company has offered training in graphic design, which assists her in her current role, and open doors for the future. “It’s a very varied workload, and the opportunities offered to progress your career are fantastic,” she says.
Elise Ngo - Data Entry Operator As a busy mother of young children, finding a balance between work and home life is important for Data Entry Operator, Elise Ngo. Elise applied when she saw the Hickinbotham position advertised online, keen to experience a new industry. Her main task is to ensure that all invoices from subcontractors and suppliers are entered in the system accurately and efficiently, often dealing with hundreds of invoices each week. In just six months she has found the working environment to be very supportive. “If you need help you can count on everyone in the office to assist you with any queries,” she says. ‘With a larger company such as Hickinbotham I find you get to work with a wider range of people in different professions which helps with making your career choices. “I have already learnt new skills throughout my experience here at Hickinbotham, particularly in regard to the building industry, terms and contracts.” Elise recommends a career at Hickinbotham to other mothers re-entering the workforce, as she has found the company accommodates her need to balance working hours with home life. “I am able to adjust my working hours to get my children ready for school and collect them from childcare, and that means a lot,” she says.
Kevin Figueroa - Land Development Assistant When Sydney-based Kevin Figueroa saw an advert on the internet for a position with Hickinbotham in Adelaide, he responded straight away. With a degree in Civil Engineering and experience as an Assistant Development Manager in Sydney, Kevin was well-placed to take on the role of Land Development Assistant. “I wanted the opportunity to work for a reputable company with a strong development background,” he says. In his new role Kevin assists the Development Team in coordinating residential subdivisions, and converting green-filled sites into residential sub-lots. His work includes assisting with feasibility studies, negotiations with landowners, rezoning and facilitating the approval process, and liaising with local and State government authorities. Since joining Hickinbotham five months ago, Kevin says the role has exceeded his expectations. He says that Hickinbotham’s “strong family involvement, with a passion for delivering an exceptional product” is what sets the company apart from other businesses he’s worked with. He particularly enjoys the opportunity to work on a large range of projects with a professional group of people. A highlight so far has been assisting in delivering large-scale residential subdivisions, including Andrews Farm, Seaford Rise, Barossa Estate and Hayborough at Victor Harbor.
Patrick McAuley - Supervisor Building Supervisor Patrick McAuley is responsible for supervising the construction of Hickinbotham homes, from commencement of building through to handover. This includes coordinating tradespeople and suppliers to complete the project to plan and contract specifications within time, budget and customer constraints. Patrick previously worked at a contracted supplier, and was familiar with several members of the management and office staff. He was drawn to Hickinbotham two years ago by their professionalism and status within the housing industry. “There is rarely a tedious moment, there are always trades to allocate, issues to attend to, anomalies to interpret from architectural and engineered drawings, properties to inspect and customer service enquiries to attend to,” he says. Patrick describes the culture at Hickinbotham as “fast-paced and professional”, and says he enjoys the after hours social life, such as awards evenings, monthly charities and footy tipping competitions. The best part about working at Hickinbotham though, according to Patrick, is “being part of a team that produces the best value homes money can buy”. “Working under the banner of an instantly recognizable and award winning brand – Hickinbotham – promotes a sense of security, expertise and satisfaction for anyone, from first home buyers and expanding families, to retirees and developers in the home building market,” he says.
Charleen Komaromi - Senior Colour Consultant Interior designer Charleen Komaromi moved to Hickinbotham two years ago, when she wanted to further her experience in the building industry. As Senior Colour Consultant, she is responsible for consultations with clients, helping them choose everything from their home’s exterior brick colour and roof tiles to their kitchen and bathroom fittings and interior paintwork. Charleen – who also oversees the colour team and liaises with suppliers and other departments within the company – says the move has been a great success, as she really enjoys the working environment. “I also love working with clients to help them customise their homes and I enjoy the interaction with clients and our suppliers,” she says. “The continuous communication between myself and the client gives me an insight as to what people like. I find that I am continually learning as the building industry has a lot to offer – there is always a new product available.” Charleen says working for a large family business like Hickinbotham has plenty of benefits. “There is a lot of opportunity to further your career, or branch out into other areas of the company.”
Ben Teague - Administation Assistant (Estimating) Almost half-way through a degree in Construction Management, Ben Teague is in an enviable position, gaining invaluable experience working part-time at Hickinbotham. “Hickinbotham took me on six months before I commenced study, and has been incredibly accommodating the whole way through,” he says. “The study is very relevant to the work, and Hickinbotham has been very flexible, allowing me to work 20-25 hours a week around my uni schedule.” Ben’s work as an Administration Assistant led him to working in the estimating department, where he prepares files and ensures all documentation is in order so homes can be released to the construction phase. He has found the environment to be very friendly and happy, with everyone willing to help each other, as well as keen to teach. Ben says he would definitely recommend working at Hickinbotham to other students. “It’s been the perfect arrangement for me, gaining hands-on experience in an exciting industry while I get my qualifications,” he says.
Scott Hodgeman - Senior Contract Administrator/Estimator Working on the development of the innovative Affordable Architect Series has been a career highlight for Scott Hodgeman. “And fact that I have been able to move to a senior position within the company is something I am very proud of,” he says. Scott joined Hickinbotham as an Estimator after finishing a double degree in Business in June 2006. His current role includes overseeing the day-to-day running of the Contract Administration/Estimating department, which is responsible for preparing and checking building files for release to construction and producing costing estimates for internal parties and job orders for external suppliers and trades. “My position is one where the company has given me the opportunity to grow into the role and take on additional responsibilities,” he said. So why did he chose Hickinbotham? “Hickinbotham has always had a strong recognisable name in the building industry. I was able to start with them the week after I completed my studies and they were happy to take on someone without experience in the industry and train me,” he said. He describes the culture at Hickinbotham as “hardworking and motivated”. “There is a strong culture of everybody working for each other and knowing that each employee has an important role to play in our system,” he said. “I love the fact that the company prides itself on challenging and supporting its employees to continually develop and build their knowledge, to push themselves to be the best they can be and to achieve success. They have given me exposure to so many situations, one of them being leading a team.” Scott doesn’t hesitate when asked if other students should consider working at Hickinbotham. “The company has a strong history of employing and supporting students. I would recommend the company to people studying because it provides exposure to real world situations.”
Christine Bradshaw - Contracts Administrator The resignation of a friend who worked at Hickinbotham presented a great opportunity for Christine Bradshaw. “We had worked together for another builder and she was always telling me how much better Hickinbotham was, in terms of procedures and overall working environment,” she says. “When she left to travel around Australia, I applied for her position and luckily was successful.” Fifteen years later and Christine continues to enjoy her work at Hickinbotham, which sees her checking and accepting building files on behalf of the company. She says that selling “..a terrific product” and the “great team environment” are the best parts of working at Hickinbotham. “Everyone is very supportive and willing to put their hand up to help out,” she says. “It’s a family business, so they really look after their staff. Management encourages everyone to put forward ideas on how we can improve – they’re willing to listen. “And Hickinbotham has provided me with the opportunity to work in many different areas of the pre-construction and construction process, so the experience I’ve gained has been invaluable. “We are always looking at new ways to improve our product and our customer service – that’s why we’re the market leader.”
Cassie Ostle - Administration team member “Having the chance to undertake an exciting job and gain remarkable experience for someone my age, while completing full-time uni, is an exceptional opportunity,” says Cassie Ostle. “I enjoy the environment within our office and understand I am learning skills that will be a great asset when I move into my chosen field at the completion of my study.” Since joining Hickinbotham in late 2005, Cassie – who is studying a double degree of Laws and Legal Practice and Arts – has gained experience in a wide range of roles. “I have also coordinated the quotes department and assisted with the coordination of jobs being released to construction, as well as hand-over appointments once clients' homes are completed. This involves a great deal of interaction with staff, clients and suppliers.” She decided to join Hickinbotham to gain an understanding of the corporate world and gain experience in an office environment. “Hickinbotham is a well-known company with a strong reputation in South Australia, and has afforded me the opportunity to progress through many areas of the organisation,” she says. Describing the company culture as “energetic and motivated”, Cassie says the work she does at Hickinbotham is a “significant stepping stone” to her future. “As a potential solicitor communication skills are a vital tool. I have been given the chance to communicate with companies and clients on a range of topics and realise the importance of working within a productive team.” So would she recommend Hickinbotham to other students? “Hickinbotham has been very accommodating to my study timetable, allowing me to attend university while maximising my working hours.”